Horror master James Wan’s greatest movie franchise officially returns in 3 weeks

It’s been 15 years since filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell joined forces to create a horror franchise that shook up what audiences knew and expected from the paranormal subgenre. While other directors and writers would go on to steer the franchise after the third film, both Wan and Whannell have remained close to their creation, mostly as producers. The latest entry is no exception.

With so much time having passed, you would be forgiven for thinking that Insidious has covered as much as it needed to. But when has that ever stopped a franchise from chugging out another sequel, prequel, or hell, even a remake? Never ever. So, it shouldn’t surprise you at all that the sixth Insidious entry, Insidious: Out of the Further, is only a few short weeks away.

What is the plot of Insidious: Out of the Further?

Throughout all of the Insidious films, one of the locations that has managed to strike fear into the hearts of viewers is the Further — a purgatory realm full of the damned, aka demons. This realm, mirrored to look like the real world, was introduced in the original film, and while it was certainly expanded on in the other Insidious films, Out of the Further looks as though it will take it a step further (insert laughter here) with the introduction of Gemma (Amelia Eve).

A young single mother, Gemma’s world is changed forever when she discovers that she can travel into the Further, something which should be impossible for living souls to do outside of astral projection. Gemma’s exploration of the realm reveals that she can bring what lives there back into the real world. Unfortunately, this power draws the attention of the evil that lives there, whose desire to cross into the real world drives them to seize it at any cost — leading to serious consequences for Gemma and her daughter, Maya.

Desperate to keep Maya safe from her dreams, Gemma turns to a very recognizable face: Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). Elise is a talented psychic first introduced in 2011’s Insidious, and she’s since appeared in all five sequels, often helping and guiding the films’ various protagonists and/or their loved ones in understanding the Further and the demons and spirits that live there. Given that last time we saw Elise in the in-universe timeline, she had been killed by the Bride in Black, we can only assume that Elise’s spirit will be lending a helping hand this time around, as it did in Insidious: Chapter 2.

Is Insidious: Out of the Further a sequel?

The Insidious franchise is very tricky when it comes to chronology, as some films (Insidious: Chapter 3 and Insidious: The Last Key) take place before the original film, Insidious.

With that in mind, Out of the Further is said to be a direct sequel to 2023’s Insidious: The Red Door. The latter follows the Lambert family, who, after the events of Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2, aren’t doing too hot. Who would be after you, then your dad, who got possessed by evil demons? It’s a miracle they aren’t all in constant therapy.

Since Out of the Further is a direct sequel to a trilogy about the Lamberts, we recommend watching the first two films, as well as Red Door, to have a firm grasp on what’s going on in Out of the Further — even though it hasn’t been confirmed how big a role the Lamberts will play in this film.

When is Insidious: Out of the Further’s release date

With a runtime of 106 minutes (1 hour and 46 minutes), Insidious: Out of the Further will have you jumping out of your seat when it releases on August 21.